BCIT Library Services 2011 — 2014 “In Step” Progress Report, September 2013

* Library Services includes the Library (Burnaby, ATC, BMC), Learning Commons, Archives & Digital Collections, Records Management, FOIPOP, & Copyright

Three years ago when “In Step” was launched, we realized our biggest challenge was now ahead of us … actually making progress towards the Five Strategic Initiatives. This update gives you some indication of how far we’ve come. It’s all been about partnerships – within the Library Services group, and across BCIT. Very little of what’s included here would have happened without that spirit of ”team” that BCIT is so good at !

Hope you enjoy the read!

Dave Pepper, DirectorLibrary Services

Sept 16, 2013

1 Facilitate Learning and Teaching

BCIT Library Services will build on its many successes to ensure that all students have the necessary resources to succeed in their studies, and to support faculty and employees as they design and renew curriculum, conduct applied research, and pursue their professional development

What we have been up to...

Five Strategic Initiatives

• Launched Writing Centre at Downtown Campus, aimed at the needs of international students (ISEP)

• One of our Reference Librarians completed her Provincial Instructor Diploma

• Released automated room-booking software, allowing students to book study rooms in the ehPod, Gateway, and SA, and to book Writing Centre appointments – all from their mobile devices. Students have chosen to book 90% of all bookings online from Jan-June 2013

• Piloted version 1 of the Automated Course Outline software with select faculty … v2 in development

• Created the Library Services Staff Award, now in its 3rd year, funded entirely by donations from the Library Services team

• Undertook the 2012 Library Services Student Survey. Analysis of the more than 2,000 responses showed that the overwhelming majority of services sit in the High Satisfaction: High Importance quadrant

• Library staff engaged students in conducting tours of Library space to give staff insight into student user experience … what is/is not working

• Library Services achieved a 94% satisfaction rating from students in BCIT’s 2011/12 Institutional Key Performance Indicator Report. In 2012/13, the rating increased to 96%

• Participated in the judging of entries to the first student Legacy Project. The results of the Project – wherein students captured impressions of their program in a photograph – are permanently mounted in the Learning Commons

2 Strengthen Connections with the BCIT Community

BCIT Library Services has a long tradition of partnering with various BCIT Schools and Departments to create new initiatives and enhance existing ones. Continued success depends on increasing collaborations and a heightening awareness of what we have to offer

• Library was successful over the last 3 fiscal years in recovering $105K of collections budget lost during the 2010/11 institutional budget downsizing

• Secured access to new journal & e-book collections … and began purchasing downloadable e-books

• Purchased streaming video collections … and initiated a project to discard/replace VHS with DVD or streaming video

• Created online LibGuides as a dynamic resource engaging both students and faculty. Many of the Guides are embedded in D2L online courses

• Providing direction for the BCIT community on the evolving & confusing copyright landscape by: -releasing a newly-invigorated web site and Copyright LibGuide -creating a one-stop email box for copyright questions -participating in a provincial Copyright Working Group to identify best practice, potential for shared services, etc.

• Privacy Officer created a cross-institutional Privacy Committee

• Partnered with the School of Health Sciences/Clinical Nursing in an iPad lending program

• Archivist is a member of BCIT’s 50th Anniversary Steering Committee … and one of our Marketing staff is on the 50th Anniversary Community Service Event Working Group

• Participating with IT and Lean Sensei program by offering 3 Library areas to undergo Greenbelt analysis

• Library has several “Loop” Ambassadors

• One of our Reference Librarians is on the Steering Committee for the Green Team … another was a judge for Engineering Idol … and a few of us were involved in ARLO’s Innovation Challenge – at the

What we have been up to...

©

What we have been up to...

4 Optimize Physical Spaces

Students require flexible, innovative physical spaces that facilitate and enhance learning. Creating modern learning spaces, and refreshing existing ones, is necessary to meet the current and future needs of the BCIT community

• ehPod study rooms have been upgraded with new digital display technology. Funding was a joint project between the BCIT Alumni Association and the Library

• Feasibility Study for the expansion of the ehPod approved & funded by Facilities Governance Team. Study to be completed by November 30, 2013

• Library Planning Team appointed a Working Group on Student Spaces. Their report provides a blueprint for the reconfiguration of 2nd and 3rd floor spaces

• Meeting room 312 was also upgraded with new display technology. When not in use as a meeting room, 312 is bookable as a large collaborative study space

• Chartwells opened a new Seattle’s Best boutique coffeePod in the Library lobby

What we have been up to...

3 Optimize Virtual Spaces

The rate of technology change creates not only challenges for Library Services but also opportunities to communicate and deliver services in new and unique ways. Library Services must continue to evolve and be nimble, embracing appropriate technology, shifting and adjusting to new learning environments

• First BC post-secondary institution to lend iPads to students. Have increased our stable to 30+ devices. Being emulated by other post-secs

• Preparing for lending of e-reader devices to both faculty and students in Sept 2013

• Hired an Archivist/Digitization Specialist and acquired ContentPro/IRX software

• Building a BCIT digital repository of BCIT’s Calendars, Yearbooks, Buildings/Campuses & Construction Repository, Aircraft Maintenance Training: the First 50 Years, “The Link” student newspaper, Fish and Wildlife Collection, etc.

• In partnership with IT, created system specs for a virtual records management system (replacement for Lotus-based s/w)

• Reinvigorated the Library’s web site, based in large part on student input

initial judging, mentoring and final judging levels

• To celebrate Freedom to Read week, the Library ran a Book Spine Poetry Contest – creating a poem from the titles on the spines of BCIT books. Entries were received from faculty, staff and students

• Received great, positive feedback from students in response to our “Why is the Library the Heart of the Institute ?” poster

What we have been up to...5 Empower Employees The people who work in BCIT’s Library Services are widely recognized for customer service excellence. In order to nurture and support this resource, we commit to maintaining a healthy, collegial workplace in which staff feels valued and empowered, and where transparency and open communication are modelled

• UBC’s iSchool of Library & Information Studies created a video clip of BCIT’s ehPod space. Video will be included in iSchool’s curriculum for a new course on library design

• Lounge chairs/tables + benches add a touch of comfort and “stay-a-while” feeling, as does the total replacement of all student study and workstation chairs

• Library Planning Team appointed a Working Group on Professional Development, specifically looking at PD opportunities for BCGEU employees. Final report in progress

• In the summer of 2012, one of our Reference Librarians travelled to Cabo Verde, off the coast of West Africa, as part of an international collaboration between the BCIT Library and The Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Portugal. She taught in a technical training program in health information for Portuguese-speaking African countries

• Promoted a culture of teamwork:

- 3 Working Groups within the Library Services Planning Team are evaluating and reporting on the following: Student Spaces, PD Opportunities, and Student Engagement with the Library

- The librarians undertook to “re-imagine reference”, looking at different ways to deliver information services to the BCIT community. Hosted a BC-wide meeting involving other librarians looking at the same issue

- Held the first annual Library-Learning & Teaching Centre “Bowling Bash” to combine fun with a brainstorm to identify projects which the 2 groups would pursue jointly. Many of these projects are in progress or completed

• Recruiting and retaining highly-qualified staff, most recently our Assoc Dir Records, Privacy and Copyright, and our Archivist/Digitization Specialist. The Library has enjoyed zero turnover in staff for the last few years

• 2 librarians completed the Chair Leadership Academy, and 6 staff (2 FSA, 4 BCGEU) completed the first Advanced Leadership Course offered jointly between Student Services and the School of Business. The course has evolved into a BCIT-wide leadership course

• In the 2011 Employee Engagement Survey, the Library Services group achieved an overall average ranking of 4.2 out of 5

• Many staff attended local, national and international conferences and PD sessions, bringing back forward-thinking ideas and approaches to: instruction, user experience, improving/creating new spaces, evidence-based practice for decision-making, etc.

• Library Director received BCIT’s Leadership Excellence Award, May 2013